YEAR OF RUSSIAN SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION: CHINA PROPOSES PEACE, WEST IMPOSES WAR

February 24 2023 marked a year of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine. Numerous symbolic events were dedicated to the anniversary of the large-scale hostilities. The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted another resolution on “principles underlying a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace in Ukraine”, proposed by Ukraine and its allies. The document required the complete withdrawal of the Russian armed forces from the territory of Ukraine and the cessation of hostilities. In its turn, Russia called the resolution “one-sided and divorced from reality”, stressing that the document would not allow “moving to a peaceful solution” of the conflict. A year ago, a similar resolution was adopted by 141 UN members. This year, the number of delegations which voted for the adoption of the resolution did not change. Since that vote two more countries joined the “pro-Russian camp”. In total, seven delegations voted “against” the resolution. Representatives of 32 countries abstained including China, India, Iran, etc. The Kiev regime has already declared another victory claiming that a year after the start of the special operation, “global support for Ukraine remains strong.” The resolutions of the UN General Assembly are of great political importance, however they are not binding, since they only have the force of recommendation. A more real step towards peace in Ukraine was made by the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has published a 12-point plan for the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. It included the need to respect the sovereignty and integrity of all countries and pointed to their equality. Beijing called for the abandonment the cold war mentality and pointed to the inadmissibility of ensuring regional security by strengthening and expanding military blocs. China opposed the escalation in the conflict, including the abuse of sanctions, and pointed out the need to create all conditions necessary for peace talks between Kiev and Moscow. Western countries responded with obvious irritation to China’s plan. As soon as it came to a cease-fire in Ukraine, the White House suddenly remembered about the principle of sovereignty. Washington claimed that it would not dictate to Ukraine the conditions for the end of this conflict. Such claims were just another hypocritical attempt to veil the West’s unwillingness to end the war. In her turn, Victoria Nuland commented on the Chinese peace initiative with a more truthful claim. She stressed that the White House is against a “cynical ceasefire”, once again confirming that the lives of people mean nothing to Washington. Beijing’s increasing political involvement in the Ukrainian conflict is clearly hindering Western countries. While China came up with a peace initiative, the West is interested in the prolongement of the military conflict, which leads to the death of thousands of people, the deterioration of the economic situation, energy and food crises.